Battle Over Insuring Children
Wednesday October 3, 2007
Although President Bush has veteod a bill to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the battle for who should get aid is not over.
On Monday, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire (D) announced that Washington -- along with Illinois, New York and Maryland -- are planning to sue the federal government in federal court in New York next week. The state of New Jersey has already filed a similar lawsuit.
New York Governor Elliot Spitzer (D) reports that Arizona, California and New Hampshire will also participate, either as plaintiffs or by filing supporting briefs. The states argue that the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ) imposed new rules that block states from expanding their children’s health insurance programs without going through proper rulemaking procedures.
Stay tuned.